1. Field
The present invention relates to communication of data, and more particularly to routing data messages in a multi-mode wireless device.
2. Background
Various communication systems operating according to different communication protocols provide for communication of messages. Generally, communication of messages are provided through different message services. One of the message services is the short message service (SMS). The SMS is a wireless message service that provides a medium for communication of alphanumeric messages of limited size. The communication of SMS messages may be between mobile devices, or a mobile device and a wireless network. The SMS may be used for a variety of communication services such as electronic mail, paging, facsimile, voice mail, or Internet access. The SMS is available in communication systems operating in accordance with the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standard, and code division multiple access (CDMA) standards, such as CDMA1X, CDMA2000, and WCDMA. The standards may include a specific set of protocols for communication of data. Such specific protocols include the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and the Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS).
Another type of message services is known as Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS.) The EMS allows users of EMS-compliant mobile devices to send and receive text, melodies, pictures, and simple sounds and animations, or a combination thereof. The EMS is also supported by a number of communication standards. One more type of message services is multi-media messaging service (MMS). The MMS enables messages containing rich multimedia content to be exchanged over a wireless network. The MMS content can include any combination of images, animation, audio, video, data and text. The MMS is supported by a number of communication standards.
A mobile device having multiple communication modes may support the operations of communicating data in accordance with more than one standard. Therefore, the mobile device may be a multi-mode wireless device (MWD.) The MWD allows a user to send and receive voice and data over multiple wireless networks, each operating in accordance with a communication standard. The communication modes include, without limitation, operations in CDMA or GSM based systems, or GSM-based derivatives such as GPRS or UMTS. Other CDMA-based systems are also included, such as CDMA1X, CDMA2000, etc. The MWDs are generally compatible with the SMS, EMS, and MMS for each communication mode for sending and receiving messages.
A MWD may have several application programs for performing different applications. For example, an application may be animation of a character on a display. Another application may be for playing music via a speaker. Yet, another application may be displaying received text on the display, or converting the received text to an audible prompt via the speaker. The messages received via the message services may automatically be routed to each application operating on or with the MWD. Each application may typically perform the routing of the messages: i.e. when the application program is launched by the wireless device, the application receives every message and decides whether or not to use the received message. Not all applications are required to receive all messages. Therefore, a large amount of redundant processing is performed. Each application also has different uses for memory in a wireless device. An application uses memory for many functions such as storing application preferences and storing message data used by the application.
Some messages are intended only for certain applications, and not for others. These messages may include priority messages, privileged messages, or application-specific messages, for instance. In another instance, an application downloaded by the device, such as a third-party application, in particular may be limited to receive only certain messages, since the reliability and security of third party applications may not be verifiable. Therefore, a third-party application may need to be limited to receive certain messages. Furthermore, certain messages may not be intended for access by the user of the device. Such messages may include download messages for removable user identity module (R-UIM) and subscriber identity module (SIM) in the device.
Some message services which use a particular communication mode lack certain feature parameters. For example, GSM/UMTS SMS messages have no priority or privacy feature parameters. As a further example, CDMA SMS messages lack an indication of which messages may be intended for an external terminal.
There is therefore a need in the art for a method and apparatus for a centralized routing of messages in a wireless device.